Tuesday

WOOSTER -- Until the general public pushes for immigration reform, it will not happen, the director of the Immigrant Workers Program told a group Sunday at Westminster Presbyterian Church.

Jeff Stewart addressed a few immigration issues he termed myths during his discussion, which was organized by the church's BorderLinks program.

The first was grandparents myth, which basically says if one's grandparents had to come into the country legally how come others don't. Stewart said prior to 1927 the United States had an open door immigration policy, and it was not until the 1930s when a registry of immigrants was created.

When people tell Stewart their grandparents came here legally, he asks, "Are you sure?"

There is also a perception immigrants do not want to learn English. Stewart said those who come here from other countries want to learn English, because they know it will lead to higher-paying jobs. However, if they are working overtime or two jobs, it becomes difficult to take English as a second language class because of a lack of time.

As for the call to seal this country's borders, Stewart said 60 percent of those in the country without permission have stayed longer than allowed by their visas. The other 40 percent are coming in undocumented -- he refers to them as undocumented workers and not illegal aliens. As he views it, there are more people flying in legally and overstaying their visits than are secretly crossing the border.

Part of Stewart's reasoning in using the phrase "undocumented worker" is because being in this country illegally is a minor misdemeanor, which he equated to a speeding ticket.

Stewart said many immigrants coming to this country are economic refugees. A majority are solitary men who have left their families to earn more money so their children can have a better life. He estimated 98 percent of the immigrants in this country are hard-working.

"This is a country of immigrants," Stewart said. Life here has not only been enriched, but built by immigrants, he added.

Migrant workers are doing the heavy lifting of agricultural work, Stewart said. Agriculture, which is Ohio's top industry, will not function without immigrant labor, he added.

For work visas to be effective, they need to have portability. Stewart said the labor certification process is difficult on farms. The visa is site specific and can take six to 18 months to acquire.

The system is broken, and it needs a rational solution, Stewart said. The solution must look at justice, human dignity, be economically rational and provide security.

"By not changing the system, people are going deeper underground," he said. "There's a greater opportunity for people to be exploited."

Stewart would like to see the DREAM Act passed, which would grant legal status to the children of undocumented workers who have been here for five or more years. He would also like to see Congress pass the Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits and Security Act (AgJOBS). The bill would permit undocumented farm workers to gain temporary residency status before earning permanent resident status.

Though a majority of Americans who are polled say they favor immigration reform, until the general public pushes for it, it won't happen, Stewart said.

Elaine Smith Snyder of the BorderLinks program said Stewart's discussion was very informative, and the congregation could probably help foster support for the bills by getting petitions signed and sending them to their legislators.

Mary Kilpatrick, also of the BorderLinks program, said she particularly enjoyed what Stewart had to say about the myths. His talk provided her with information she can share with others when the immigration issue comes up, Kilpatrick said.

Lauren Hines, a College of Wooster student, said she was glad to hear Stewart talk about the DREAM Act.

"It's not fair. These children did not choose to be here," Hines said. "We are condemning them to a future they do not deserve."

Hines works with the Pueblo de Esperanza on campus. The name translated is "community of hope." Its members work to raise awareness about social injustice in Latin America and here. She has worked with Stewart on other projects.

Business and Wayne County government reporter Bobby Warren can be reached at (330) 287-1638 or e-mail bwarren@the-daily-record.com.

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